SAS Nagar MLA gifts suit packets bearing his photo to ‘sisters’

Giving a political turn to the tradition of gifts that brothers give their sisters on Rakshabandhan, local Congress MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu distributed suits to unmarried women in the age group of 15-25 in his constituency on Thursday, after they tied rakhi on him.

Giving a political turn to the tradition of gifts that brothers give their sisters on Rakshabandhan, local Congress MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu distributed suits to unmarried women in the age group of 15-25 in his constituency on Thursday, after they tied rakhi on him.

Sources that Sidhu, who has been elected the SAS Nagar MLA for the past two consecutive terms, plans to gift 20,000 suits. On Thursday, however, he distributed around 3,000 of the gifts. “Why are you linking it to elections. I am doing this, not for votes, but due to my connection with the people,” said Sidhu.

“In Punjab, tradition dictates that sisters are not sent back empty-handed. Thus, I gifted them the suits,” he added, though he did not explain the large-sized photographs that each packet of suits carries.

Sources said that in all probability, the Congress ticket from SAS Nagar would go to Sidhu and sensing this, the legislator has been in poll mode. He has also distributed shoes to school going children and sports kits to youngsters in villages.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has also been distributing sports kits and equipment to youth in different villages.